Beaded Hair Ties

What You Need:

• An elastic cord, available at bead or craft shops
• Six beads, medium to large size
• Scissors
• Ruler
• Sewing needle
• Liquid glue

What You Do:

1. Have your child choose a color of elastic cord and the color beads she would like to use. She could choose a bead with her initial on it or a bead in a favorite shape, such as a heart or flower. The beads should all be medium to large in size. She should choose beads that go together in groups of three.
2. Have her measure 10 to 11 inches of elastic cord with a ruler and cut a piece that length.
3. Now she can string all six beads on the cord. She may need to use a sewing needle on one end of the cord to help it through the bead holes.
4. After the beads are on the cord, help her tie the ends of the cord together with a double knot.
5. She can cut the ends off the double knot so there’s no loose string hanging off it. Then she can put a drop of liquid glue on the end of the knot and push the knot inside of one bead (to hide the knot from view; some later knots will be visible, but that’s okay).
6. Group three beads that go together at one end of the elastic circle and loop them through the circle to tie a knot holding those beads together. Repeat this step for the other three beads on the opposite side.
7. She can choose if she also wants to put a knot in the middle of the hair tie, as some ponytail holders have.
8. After the glue has dried, let her create a ponytail or braid to showcase the new homemade hair tie!